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She said he said she said what?!  My best friend told me that her cousin’s girlfriend got IT from a toilet seat.  It’s my first time, there’s no way I’m gonna get pregnant.

That awkward moment when your mom tries to talk to you about your flower.  

Teenagers are curious about sex.  That’s pretty standard.  And sexual health is not on the top of the list of “Things I Want to Talk to My Mom About.”  Often times, teenagers talk to their friends.  Some are more informed than others, while some are just misinformed.  So where might this curious teenager get information about sex?  Google, of course.  Yes, the internet is a bottomless pool of information, but one does not always stumble upon the most accurate of facts.

Well, life just got a little bit easier.  Health.com has debunked the Top 10 Myths About Sex and Sexual Health.

Here are some quick stats from the CDC about teen pregnancy and STD’s:

• In 2009, 409,840 infants were born to 15-19 year olds.  For every 1,000 women in this age group, about 39 babies were born.
• Only about 50% of teen mothers receive a high school diploma by age 22, versus nearly 90% of women who had not given birth during adolescence.
• Estimates suggest that even though young people aged 15–24 years represent only 25% of the sexually experienced population, they acquire nearly half of all new STDs.

If you have questions, don’t be afraid to talk to your parents, set up an appointment with your doctor, or visit your local teen clinic.  Teen clinics are great resources for sexual health education, birth control options, pregnancy testing and services, STD/HIV testing and treatment, counseling, and much more.

To find  a Planned Parenthood in your community, visit PlannedParenthood.org.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS